For Your Own Good
by KaitoHeichou
Summary: Ryou was invited to Joey's birthday party, but he still feels out of place. Drunk and willing to go home, he enters the bathroom to cool himself off. Rated T just in case. First fic ever, so reviews are really welcome :).


Ryou sighed as he closed the bathroom door and looked at himself in the mirror. He noticed two things. First, he was really drunk. He had been denying it the whole night, but staring at his face suddenly showed him how wrong he was. His eyes were blood-shot, his hair messy and his mouth contorted in a smile he'd never pull off were he sober. The second thing he noticed was how much he looked like his other self at the moment.

He snorted. He found the situation ironical and hilarious, for it was always Bakura who disguised himself as his host, and not the other way round. He flinched in pain as his head throbbed together with the music coming from the living room. It was Joey's birthday party, and he had no idea why he'd accepted the invitation. The only one he really liked from the gang was Yugi, and even the little one had switched for his more distant and cold companion.

He sighed again and washed his face, a knock helping even further in waking him from his daze. ''Ryou, are you alright mate? Told ya you shouldn't drink so many beers, pal.'' Joey seemed genuinely concerned, which for some reason made Ryou feel even worse. ''Yeah, I'm alright, I'll be out in a minute.'' He heard the other leave and go back to the party, throwing some pervy words at Tristan and everyone laughing.

_I would've been way better at home..._he thought, exhausted and angry at himself. He really didn't get why he was there. He'd spent the entire party in a corner, watching the others have fun while he drank beer after beer. Ryou glanced at the mirror one last time, ready to leave.

''Where do you think you're going, little one?'' Ryou was startled. His reflection had suddenly talked and moved on its own, the grin he was so familiar with on its face. Bakura. ''Home. I've had enough of this, and I believe you aren't having much fun either.'' Ryou tried to brush the spirit off, but he knew that once they started talking, it would take a while. He sat on the toilet lid and looked at Bakura. Even if it was for some mere seconds, they both looked exactly the same, until the spirit smirked and stuck his tongue out.

''No, you're right. I'm not having fun at all, but I don't want to go home either.'' Ryou raised an eyebrow. He didn't like the sound of it, but he was sincerely intrigued. ''Oh? So what do you suggest then?'' Bakura shifted in the mirror, touching his forehead as if he were thinking and snapping his fingers not a moment later.

''Oh I have a _splendid _idea, though I'm not sure your majesty would like it.'' He bowed crossing his legs, clearly mocking Ryou and forcing him to ask what he most feared. ''W-what is it?'' The boy tried not to show any hint of being worried on his face.

''Very easy, little one. You –'' he pointed at Ryou''-let me borrow that body of yours. I'll go out there to 'play' with your friends.'' Ryou could feel Bakura's mind trying to push his out of the way, but he stood firm on his ground. No, he didn't want that side of him out again. He wasn't going to allow the spirit of the Ring to harm his friends. ''Are they really your friends, Ryou?''

''Huh?'' The boy stared dumbfounded at Bakura's serious face. He'd never seen the other that way, so calm and...concerned? Yes, there was warmth in his eyes, warmth that got to Ryou's most inner feelings and made them all burst out. He cried silently, holding the Ring closer to his body. ''N-no...they are not...''

Bakura got out of the mirror and floated next to Ryou, patting the boy's head. He smiled softly at him, letting him rest his head on the other's chest. ''You knew it. You knew it all along yet you still insist to be with them. Even though they call you just out of pity. Even though they ignored you when you tried to befriend them, even though they've harmed you, got you into hospital and never apologized.'' Ryou knew the other was right, but he still tried his best to deny it. He still tried his best to hide the fact that he had always been alone, denying it from the bottom of his heart.

''No, it's not like that...The one they hate is you. Yes, it's your fault that they don't want me near!'' He yanked away from Bakura's warm touched and glared at him. For a second there he thought he saw a hurt look in the spirit's eyes, but his face was still neutral so Ryou took it as a hallucination. ''Even if it were true, they shouldn't treat you the way they want to treat me.'' He kneeled in front of Ryou, resting his arms on the boy's shoulders. ''Ryou, do you remember what I told you when we first connected minds?'' Ryou slowly stopped his sobbing. ''Yes...I do. You said you'll always be there to take care of me and make sure no one harmed me.''

Bakura smiled. ''Well it's still the same. If someone ever makes you cry- '' his face turned angry in a blink ''-I swear I'll make them pay. No matter what. My methods might not be exactly orthodox but...I'm doing my best. You can trust me, Ryou. You know you can.''

The boy knew the spirit was right. Even with the evil plans he carried out with his body, Bakura had always shown some appreciation towards Ryou, an appreciation only he knew about. While everyone thought he was possessed by pure evil, Ryou was the only one to know his other self's secrets and pain, the years he had passed confined in that Ring, waiting for revenge. If anything, Ryou could relate to him more than to anyone. They were both alone, and secretly afraid. Maybe they could put their differences together and understand each other better. He sighed and touched Bakura's shoulders back.

''Then do as you wish. Just don't leave them too dead.'' They both smiled, Bakura pushing Ryou's consciousness away as he took control of the body, stretching and smiling. Ryou was ready to embrace the darkness that surrounded him whenever that happened, but it never came. He found himself instead surrounded by warmth and light, a cozy feeling that made his soul gain some peace. _It's my gift for you, little one. Sleep well, we'll see each other soon. _The spirit broke their mind link, leaving Ryou with a smile on his face, letting go of everything, slipping away.

Once he felt Ryou was well confined, Bakura smirked, holding back the urge to laugh. He grabbed something and licked his lips, softening his features. He left the bathroom, his way to the living-room slow but steady. Everyone smiled at him as he entered the room, mostly because they were even more drunk than his host had been. ''Hey Ryou, thought you died in there or something! Come, Duke just challenged Yugi to a duel. Want to play too? It's gonna be so much fun!'' Tea was waving her arm at him like a total spazz, smiling and trying not to lose her balance.

_Oh yes, it is going to be a lot of fun..._He thought, as he smiled softly and approached the innocent gang, a pair of scissors clenched behind his back.


End file.
